Consistency and clarity are what’s needed

The introduction of the EU’s Entry/Exit System at the weekend passed without any obvious hiccups, which will have been a relief for many.

The system is being rolled out gradually over the next six months and won’t be properly stress-tested until significant numbers are travelling, so it will be interesting to see if the forthcoming half-term and Christmas breaks highlight any issues.

But for agents and operators keen to avoid negative sentiment and maintain short-haul bookings in a market already showing signs of tightening, the lack of “travel chaos” headlines will have been welcome.

As we have reported in recent months, continued strong demand is undoubtedly being tempered by some uncertainty – as evidenced by a later-booking market and a need to stimulate sales with strong price and value messages. 

And with the Autumn Budget looming, a need for consistency and clarity and a desire to avoid additional logistical challenges is entirely understandable.

If some expert analysts’ views are correct, one area in which the trade could receive clarity is Atol reform, with growing speculation that the Civil Aviation Authority may be cooling on the need to press ahead. Abta has been among the industry bodies that have consistently questioned the need for reform. If the CAA now concurs, then many of the association’s members will breathe a sigh of relief that the prospect of additional red tape, complexity and cost is removed from their planning for what looks set to be a challenging 2026.

Comment originally from Travel Weekly, October 16 edition